COA: No politics in Binay audit

By Jon Carlos Rodriguez, ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan assured Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday that the ongoing audit being conducted into one of his projects while still Makati mayor is not politically-motivated.

Tan denied that the agency is involved in a demolition campaign behind Binay, adding that the audit was conducted as the agency’s response to a letter submitted by “concerned employees of Makati City” last April.

Tan, however, dismissed the speculations, saying the COA is merely doing a “routine” audit.

“There was no special task force that was formed, ako lang naman ang nagcre-create ng special task force. I did not create any special task force and I did not also ask any of our commissioners to create a task force [to conduct the audit],” Tan explained.

Malacañang, meanwhile, has denied that it had a hand in the COA report.

“I can very categorically say that the administration is not involved. Number two, I don't think the vice president was imputing bad faith or involvement of the administration with respect to that audit. Again, that audit was conducted by a constitutional office which is separate and independent form the Executive branch," Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.

Lacierda added that the COA is obligated to keep any audit politically-insulated.

Binay also believes the Palace had no hand in the COA probe, and that COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza has an ax to grind against him.